Max Unlicensed for a TV Station

[FGP827]

Hey guys, our church has been looking at starting a tv station and I was wondering what the max wattage output is for an unlicensed TV station is.

Thanks, FGP827

 

[nd5y]

I don't think you can legally broadcast TV to the genreral public without a license.
It would be easier and much cheaper to do it on the internet.
How large is the area you want to cover?
https://www.fcc.gov/media/television/low-power-television-lptv

 

[Cameron314]

Do you mean Low Power (LPTV)? I don’t think there is a unlicensed service. Just picking a channel and going for it won’t win you many friends from the licensed stations and will get you a nice bill from the FCC.

 

[prcguy]

The only unlicensed TV services are Part 15 devices which have a range of maybe a few hundred feet. I have not seen any offered in the current digital ATSC flavor, just old analog.
prcguy

 

[mmckenna]

Hey guys, our church has been looking at starting a tv station and I was wondering what the max wattage output is for an unlicensed TV station is.

Thanks, FGP827

This would fall under Part 15. As others have said it would be such low power, you'd be lucky to get a 1/4 of a mile.

A better approach would be streaming via the internet or talking to your local Cable TV provider. Cable TV carriers can add local channels to their feeds. While often this is done for local government or educational uses, I guess a non-profit like a church could at least ask. More than likely talking to the local community access channel (if you have one locally) would be your best approach.

Really, in this day and age, internet is the way to do it. Either stream it, or record it and upload it to your website.

 

[gmclam]

If you just want to broadcast "at the church", just connect the displays with wires (not trivial). If you want to broadcast to the neighborhood, I suggest low power TV. Otherwise cable TV and/or Internet are options.

 

[n5ims]

If you do go down the road for a LPTV station license, be aware that the FCC is forcing another migration for broadcast stations similar to the prior analog to digital transformation from several years ago. There is now a mandated migration from ATSC 1.x to ATSC 3.0 (which is not compatible with the 1.x standard currently in use). At this point, there are no published deadlines and worse yet, no TVs or tuners available in the US to receive the new format.

Existing stations are at best just in the planning stages, however the auction to sell their transmit channel has been completed and initial channel reassignments have been assigned. Another large group of UHF TV channels are being sold for other services (cell and extended wifi services) so nearly all stations will be forced to change broadcast channels again in addition to new transmitters to handle the new format. Not only are the smaller stations being affected, but the large and powerful stations as well. WNBC-TV was one of the stations that sold their channel (for a record sum) and will eventually move from their own signal to a virtual channel on their Univision station license in New York City.

No station is currently using the new format for regular programming, but there are a few that have gotten experimental licenses to perform testing using the new format and gain experience that may help prevent issues found during the analog to digital migration (such as the unexpected coverage holes from stations that remained on VHF transmission channels).

 

[n5ims]

Oh, one more suggestion that may be useful. If using a public access cable channel won't provide you what you require, you may be able to contact your local TV stations to see if one may lease you a virtual channel on their digital signal. Assuming that your church qualifies for tax deductible donations, you might be able to have this virtual channel use provided to you at minimal cost, for the tax deduction.

 

[Golay]

Church TV

First off I'm thinking the original poster is talking about a TV station within the church. No intention of entertaining the neighborhood.
So if he was to attenuate the RF out to under 300mW, would he be legal?

 

[mmckenna]

First off I'm thinking the original poster is talking about a TV station within the church. No intention of entertaining the neighborhood.
So if he was to attenuate the RF out to under 300mW, would he be legal?

It would have to meet Part 15 if it was transmitted.

If it really is for in building or campus type use, it's much easier to do a distribution system using coax, or a networked based system.

 

[gmclam]

To broadcast or not to broadcast

If you do go down the road for a LPTV station license, be aware that the FCC is forcing another migration for broadcast stations similar to the prior analog to digital transformation from several years ago. There is now a mandated migration from ATSC 1.x to ATSC 3.0 (which is not compatible with the 1.x standard currently in use). At this point, there are no published deadlines and worse yet, no TVs or tuners available in the US to receive the new format.

Yes there is another migration underway. The TV band will be losing physical channels 38 to 51. Stations on those channels will need to move their physical channel, transmit as a secondary channel on someone else's signal, or go off the air. However there is NO mandate to move to ATSC 3.0.

The OP didn't indicate whether they desire to transmit just on church grounds or to the neighborhood. They also did not indicate whether SD (NTSC) is OK or if they want HD (ATSC/etc). I suspect the latter. It's not just a matter of sending out a low power signal, there are a lot of issues.

 

[mmckenna]

ATSC 3.0 is a bit farther along….

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db1116/DOC-347803A1.pdf

 

[prcguy]

The initial post says "looking at starting a tv station" which to me means they want their own over the air wide area broadcast TV station and not something for internal video distribution. At this point maybe the OP should clarify his intentions.
prcguy

If you just want to broadcast "at the church", just connect the displays with wires (not trivial). If you want to broadcast to the neighborhood, I suggest low power TV. Otherwise cable TV and/or Internet are options.